


What you wouldn't do for kin

by QueenOfSkaro



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Awkward!Fili, M/M, Matchmaking!Kili, Uncle Thorin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-11 01:27:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 15,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2048055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfSkaro/pseuds/QueenOfSkaro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the fill to a prompt on HKM</p><p>Kili knows his brother is in love with the resident hobbit and decides to help out, being the awesome little brother that he is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The full prompt is this:
> 
> Kili knows his brother better than his own craft. He picks up very quick when Fili is upset, nervous or happy. And ever since the journey started, he can tell his brother is taken by the hobbit.
> 
> At first, Kili thinks is a simple infatuation, but after seeing the despair in Fili's eyes after the Golin's caves and the relief once Bilbo reappeared, he realizes this is a serious affair; with a capital "S".
> 
> And Kili, being Kili, comes with this amazing plan: The nights are growing colder, so is not unusual for two or three dwarves to cuddle together to sleep; so one night, he invites the hobbit to sleep between Fili and he. (And tries to not laugh on how nervous it makes his brother.)
> 
> Once he is sure the other two are asleep, he begins: He moves Bilbo, pushes him, kicks him, hell, even bites him, all to make sure Bilbo thinks he has awful sleeping habits and moves away from him, and closer to Fili. A few more nights like this, and soon the two of them will wake up wrapped around each other's arms.
> 
> Yeah, he is an awesome brother.
> 
> \- It works. How does Kili finds out? Because one night they have sex. Right there. While he is pretending to sleep right next to them! Ugh  
> \- Fili has no idea what Kili is doing. Someone else in the company does, and gives thumbs up to the whole situation.
> 
>  
> 
> ~~
> 
>  
> 
> I intended to take it and write a tiny little something, but I just can't seem to get to the point, so I don't know how much longer it will get. 
> 
> On another note, english isn't my first language and this is the first bit ever I tried to write that's not german, so if someone would offer to beta-read it I would be more than thankful.
> 
> Now enough rambling, I hope you like it - or not, but in both cases I would like to get your feedback to see what I can do to make it better.

He couldn't believe they really made it out of there alive. He still had the stench in his nose, but he could see the company with him - in fresh air, no less - and would just have to reach over to touch his older brother. He would have laughed in relief, if he hadn't done the quick count of them - thirteen dwarves and a wizard. They were a hobbit short.  
It wasn't more then two seconds later that his brother realized that too, Kili could pin the exact moment. Every bit of color Fili got back after getting out of the goblin cave vanished faster than was healthy, his eyes widened and then shut like in pain and he started to tremble. Not just a little shiver, he was practically vibrating.  
Before Kili could reach out to stabilize him - the color of his face indicated that he would need it - his uncle started to vent his anger on the hobbit, his prefered outlet every time something didn't go as planned. This time it was almost too much. The young dwarf heard his brother whisper something, he couldn't make it out so low it was but it sounded tortured and Kili knew now what he hadn't wanted to see before.

His brother didn't have a little crush on the hobbit. It wasn't like the time Fili was not even fifty and insisted to go to the market every time they needed anything, because the bakers daughter was pretty and had a nice growing beard. It wasn't like that one time Kili had something like a crush either, which led to a good night in the tavern, but nothing after that.

Fili loved Bilbo. He really loved him, like their mother had loved their father and still did, everyone knew that. Like Gloin loved his wife, not being able to shut up about how he missed her and their son for even a day. Like Thorin loved his pretty princess before the dragon came, not yet married to her but good on the way until Smaug ruined it and he never saw her again. Kili didn't know all that much about her, just a little their mother told them when she would tell them they were exactly like Thorin was at their age and they couldn't believe her. He was different with his One at his side, full of laughter and mischief, but all that died with her. That is what was going to happen to Fili now and he couldn't stand that, wouldn't stand that. He was going back in the cave, even if he had to go alone and he would get their hobbit -

The world righted itself on its axis, Kili not even sure when his stance started to falter, when he heard a voice to their right. And when he saw who it was he laughed in relief, because his brother still had the chance to do things right, to get a piece of happiness before the next lifethreatening situation could bite them. It wasn't lost and Kili would see to it that his brother got his little hobbit. Right after they survived burning wargs and biting trees and pale eagles and - alright, he would be the first to admit that his details were a bit fishy but at least he knew that his brother and the burglar survived.


	2. Chapter 2

When they got down from the Carrock the first thing they did was to bath in the river. Oin was adamant that everyone was going to get examined and it was never bad to wash goblin stench from ones hair, so no one objected, not even Thorin, even when everyone offering him help got growled at. He could barely stand on his own, but even now his pride was rearing his head, typical.   
Kili looked over to his brother, who was already standing in the water, carefully rubbing over the dozens of bruises and scratches he got since Rivendell, all the while looking to Bilbo out of the corner of his eyes, frowning in concern. The hobbit was sitting at the riverbank, his ruined waistcoat in hand and a forlorn look on his face while regarding the places his buttons should be. Kili tried to understand that sort of sentimentality to a bit of clothes but came up short. He was probably just homesick again the little creature.   
"Don't you want to join us, Mr. Boggins? I bet you could use a bath as badly as the rest of us.", the young dwarf grinned while at least immerging himself in the water. The water was cold, but after sitting in burning trees it was nothing short of blissful and he at once started to shrub the grime from his body.

Bilbo looked up to them and he threw him another grin, ignoring the frown his brother regarded him with and soon the curly haired hobbit started to undress himself. He did it slowly, as if in pain and Filis frown only deepend as he saw that, but he didn't make a move to see what ailed his One. Kili nudged him in his ribs and looked meaningful back to the burglar, but the blonde only shook his head. He threw a nervous glance at the now naked hobbit - yes, there where definitly bruises all along his side and probably his whole back too - concern evident, before he flushed a little and waded to Balin and Thorin, speaking about only Mahal knew what. The dark haired dwarf was entirely unimpressed with that. He would find a way to get those two together, come wargs or armed elves - he would see his brother happy, consequences be damned.


	3. Chapter 3

Once Oin was finished with them they set to make camp, no one really able to take a long march, even though Thorin didn't look thrilled about it. He was the main reason no one wanted to make journey, but everyone was bright enough not to say anything about that.   
Gandalf tells them about a friend of his who lives nearby, not even two days further until they get on his lands, who would be willing to help them resupply. Probably. But not being on his lands already meant Kili and Fili could be sent off to hunt with the whole company hungry. The younger would have loved the opportunity to talk to his brother, but he wanted to be back quickly and take a well deserved nap, so they couldn't risk to make unnecessary noises. It wasn't really needed either, Kili knew what his brother wanted - or who - and what he needed. What he needed was clear, help. Because if he knew his brother any - and he prided himself in knowing him better than his bow - then Fili would need ages to come around and tell his little burglar what he felt. And time was something they barely had, not a quest so dangerous like theirs.

They came back with five rabbits and gave them over to Bombur to make stew with, before sitting with the others who looked over their weapons and the meager supplies they could hold on. The elders where in a conversation about the recent events, Ori was scribbling furiously in his little diary and Bilbo was sitting a bit apart, still half naked like the rest of them, waiting for his clothes to dry and shivering occasionally. Dwarves had thick skin, nothing easily breached, but even they could feel cold and it was enough for Kili to lean against his brother. How would the hobbit be feeling now, with his soft skin and hairless body? There was practically nothing shielding him from the cold! 

Well, if that wasn't the perfect opportunity to start mission 'burgle a burglar'. Alright, the name needed work, but he was on a mission, there was no time for those tiny little details.  
"Mr. Boggins, if you are cold you can come here.", he offered Bilbo and felt right away his brother getting tense and still beside him.  
"Oh no, I wouldn't - I mean - I don't want to bother.", the hobbit stammered, getting even redder on his cheeks, which where already flushed from the cold. He could feel his brother sag a bit, but the moment he opened his mouth again his brother starteted to nudge him in his side. Repeatedly. Practically in panic.  
"Nonsense, Mr. Boggins, you wouldn't be a bother. You are practically getting blue as we speak."

The resistance didn't last much longer, a statement of how cold the hobbit really was and Kili scooted over, much to his brothers dismay. Bilbo sat down carefully, not touching either one, but even now you could see him relaxing and soaking the warmth the two brothers emanated. The dark haired prince didn't hesitate and slung an arm around the small shoulders, throwing his brother a satisfied grin at the shiver he got for that from the half naked hobbit. The look Fili send him for that could have skinned a small animal, but after a deep breath - or twenty - he carefully slung his arm around his One too. The blonde was still so tense it was painful to watch and he didn't touch Bilbo more than was acceptable in this situation, and even that touch was light in the best places. Kili, being the best little brother that he is couldn't watch it any longer and leaned against Bilbo, careful with his bruises and bringing the small being flush against his brothers chest. The next satisfied grin - it just got wider at the terrified expression on Filis face and the little humming sound from between them - got somewhat interrupted by Dwalin, who called him gruffly over, not even bothering to look up from the axe he was inspecting at the moment.

But Kili saw a chance when it slapped him in his face and he was quick to leave the lovebirds alone, assured that his work was almost finished now. As soon as he sat down in front of Dwalin, his back to his brother and almost-brother-in-law he got a axe shoved in his lap, a bit less careful than he would have wished and he got instructed to inspect it for weak spots it could have gotten in the goblin caves.   
"I know what ye'r doing, laddie.", came the gruff voice after a few minutes of silence between them. Kili looked up, completely taken by surprise. Granted, he wasn't exactly subtle - dwarfs just weren't, that was a fact - but he hadn't expected Dwalin to see it so soon, and talking with him about it, no less.  
"Ye'r doin' a good thing, lad, but ye gotta be careful. That's nothin' to make fun of, not with that brother of yer's."  
"I would never make fun of something like that.", bristled the young dwarf, indignant that the older could think that of him. Yes, he liked to play pranks, but all in good fun. He was long out of the age where he couldn't see right from wrong and things he thought funny where dangerous or hurtful. 

Now Dwalin looked up, looked him over, nodded and then looked down again, all the while polishing the axe in his lap.  
"I believe ye. But see to it that yer brother doesn't bolt again the next time, aye? I think he hurt some pretty sensible feelings ov'r there." grins Dwalin and indicates with his head to where Kili left his brother with the little burglar. Said brother nowhere to be found and the burglar in his half-dried clothes, arms around his knees and shivering - again. So much for almost finished work. He should have gotten that nap while he could.


	4. Chapter 4

Fili appeared in time for the stew, but he sat next to Thorin and Balin, like he always did when he didn't want anyone to bother him. Those two would talk about the journey, how long they still had to walk, what they would need to make it to the mountain and everything related. Nothing personal, nothing dangerous and even now after he saved Thorins life, nothing hobbit-related. Kili narrowed his eyes on the blond head. Did the little coward really think he would get away with it so easily?

Alright, a coward was a bit harsh perhaps, because Kili knew like he knew everything about his brother that said brother wasn't a coward. But he was nervous and afraid because of his feelings and a bit awkward too. Okay, maybe he was a hell of a lot awkward, but Kili could work with that. He just had to trick him into being less - not to say himself, because really, that would be just mean, but we just let it stand there.  
The fact that Fili was standing in his own way to happiness remained. Bilbo clearly felt the same for him - okay, maybe it wasn't all that clearly, and it probably wasn't exactly the same, because hobbits assumedly didn't have Ones like dwarfs, but love was love, wasn't it? And the burglar looked at his brother often enough that Kili was willing to hope for the best and get on with it.   
But perhaps it wasn't so bad if he got more informations about hobbits first, knowledge was power, wasn't it? So he sat down next to the at last dry hobbit while eating his stew and just did what he always did.   
"Do hobbits have Ones?", he blurted, because it was already established that dwarfs just weren't subtle and if Kili had any dwarven traits, it was this one.

Bilbo wasn't the only one to choke on his stew, he could see out of the corner of his eyes Balin rapping on his brothers back. Well deserved, to be quite honest, after he ruined everything the youngest Durin had established already.   
"Ex- Excuse me?", stammers the little creature next to him. Kili is a bit unsure if he is that red in his face because he is embarassed or because he couldn't breathe for half a minute. It didn't matter in the end, because the dwarf knew that Bilbo had hobbity sensibilities and he would be embarrassed, no matter what.  
"Do hobbits have Ones?", he repeated impatiently. "You know, like dwarfs. We love one being, our entire life. Thats our One." Just to make sure the Shireling had at least that knowledge, who knew what they taught you in that village he came from.  
"You mean...like soulmates?" Bilbos voice grew suspicious, as if he thought Kili was making fun of him. Really, why did everyone think that? He matured, damned it all, and the tiny hobbit didn't even knew him back then!

"Of course not.", he snorted, just to be a bit mean too. "It doesn't have anything to do with fate or destiny or some such elvish nonsense. It isn't predestined. It's just that, you fall in love, really in love for one time and never fall out of love. Simple as that. We grew up in a village with men and let me tell you, that isn't something normal for most races. For us it's just a fact, you have one chance to make it right by the person you love, but for example men? They cheat and break up whenever they see the next pretty lass. Something no dwarf can comprehend, let me tell you. So, how is it with hobbits? Do you flit from bed to bed too?"  
Bilbo looked questionably to the other dwarfs, who nodded affirmative - at least those who listened in the conversation. Then he got red - again - and looked as indignant as was possible on such a small face.  
"Flit from - excuse me, but we hobbits are entirely respectable, I have you know. We court and we fall in love, marry and start a family. If you are courting you may break the courtship, but that is basically unheard of, because you just start to court if there are already feelings involved. So if your intended accepts your courtship gift it's like an engagement. I for one never heard of any courtship-breaking or cheating between hobbits - and let me assure you, everyone would know before elevensies if something like this was to happen."

Kili thought a second about that new information and before he could ask a question Ori beat him to it.   
"So it's like Ones, isn't it? You just have one love, all your life."  
"Well, yes, mostly. We are allowed to flit from bed to bed in our tweens," here Bilbo threw Kili a mean look, even while being red as a tomato "but after that we settle down. It's not called Ones, it's just called marriage. Or in my case bachelorhood. If a spouse dies then theoretically it would be acceptable to remarry, but hobbits normally die of old age, so that too is not really heard of. There was a hobbit who lost his wife to sickness when I was a child. He mourned over twenty years before he tried again."

The scribe was writing fast in his journal, not wanting to miss even a tiny detail of this conversation and Kili had to smile a second at that. He seldom was that thourough when he had a task.  
"You say you marry and start families. Does that mean it always has to be a lad and a lass?", Kili asks bluntly, because now that he thought of it, it was really important knowledge for his mission.   
"Well...it's not always like this. There are a few, really just a few, who are officially bachelors. It's all hush-hush, because you just don't talk about it, but that doesn't mean nobody knows about it. You just don't live together with a "good friend to safe rent". Or my neighbors down the street, whose husband died and a year later her "good friend moved in to comfort her". It's done, but it's not really talked about." Bilbo shrugged while telling this, but he was still a little red on his cheeks. It was said so nonchalant that Kili only hoped he didn't have anything against it. Better yet would be that he liked men better than women too, but after this new informations Kili didn't want to hope too much. That could be tricky. His brother sagged in himself again and stared broodily at the fire, so Kili was sure to find a way to get Bilbo to like him back, even if he didn't do it now.

"And you? You're a bachelor. Didn't find the right lass or the right 'good friend'?" Yes, dwarven priced subltety. But it was almost worth it to see the little hobbit fluff himself up like a really soft pillow.  
"Kili! Will you stop that now! You can't go around asking people such things, it's not proper!" And with that he stood up and huffed to his bedroll, lying a bit away from the others as was normal. The young dwarf looked after him, before starting to chuckle lightly. He skillfully ignored the glare from his brother and started a conversation with Ori.


	5. Chapter 5

It was not that long after Bilbo left them that the company started to yawn too. Kili was absolutely knackered, but he wouldn't go to sleep until his brothers showed signs of sleepyness, so it was that Kili drifted off on Dwalins shoulder, only to startle awake half a minute later.   
"Go the fuck to sleep, laddie.", growled Dwalin from above him and waved Fili over, after Kili righted himself a little. He blinked a few times, only to sag against Dwalin again, who gave an exasperated sigh.  
"Get yer brother, Fili, or Mahal help me I will get him to sleep.", was what the youngest dwarf heard after he startled again and the next moment there were his brothers arms helping him up.  
"Bed?", he mumbled and almost crawled in his brothers chest - even if Dwalins was way more comfortable, but he wouldn't have to say that, right? He felt his brother nod against his head, so he made an effort to get a bit awake again so he could walk alone to their bedrolls. Halfway there he saw the hobbit, sleeping alone away from the others, curled in himself and shivering from the cold. Without thinking about it he crouched beside the little being and lifted him in his arms.

"What are you doing?", Fili hissed, observing them with eagle eyes to make sure Kili didn't let his hobbit fall, as the younger went back to their bedrolls and placed Bilbo right in the middle.  
"He's cold. Now come sleeping and stop being a girl." The answer was met with a viscious growl from the blond, who stood to the side and stepped from one foot to the other. After a minute he went back to Bilbos bedroll and got his things, so they would have enough room to rest - even half asleep Kili could tell his brother was being an idiot about this, but it was too much work to say that now.  
They all lay down and Fili went right to sleep - a warrior at heart, able to sleep at a moments notice, but fit from the moment he wakes. He lay on Bilbos bedroll, more than half of his own between the two of them and Kili looked at the space unimpressed. 

Then he started to poke Bilbo in his ribs to get him to roll over and after that didn't work he just gave him one good shove. The hobbit startled awake and Kili shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep as he rolled on his back und stretched his arms and legs to the sides, resembling a starfish and knocking Bilbo on his chest the process. He could hear an annoyed huff and then the hobbit skidded over so he wouldn't lay near Kili anymore. The dwarf felt him stop as he became aware of the blonde one behind himself and he could hear a small intake of breath. Then nothing other than the company making ready for bed.   
Feeling accomplished for this night he led himself drift to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning found Kili under the early risers, which surprised him a bit, naturally a late sleeper, until he realized how cold he was. It wasn't quite so cold yet that you froze while being active, but a night alone on the stonefloor was entirely different. The cold clung to his bones as he sat up and looked over the camp, most still sleeping. Beside him lay Fili and, if he was looking really hard, he could make out the little hobbit beneath his brother. Kili had to bite on his fist to prevent the wild giggles that wanted to escape his mouth. His brother must have rolled over in his sleep and now lay over the hobbit, leaning on his own arms as not to smother the little one, looking for all the world - well, those who already knew there was a hobbit somewhere in the picture too, he was kind of hard to see under all that dwarf - as if he was shielding his loved one from potential evil. The giggles threatened to break through again so he quickly looked away, not wanting to wake them.   
He saw Dwalin sitting at the fire, observing him with a raised eyebrow, so Kili pointed with the hand not currently in his mouth to his brother. The big warrior grinned and nodded, before he tilted his head indicating him to come sit with him at the fire. They stayed in silence, still the only ones awake beside Bombur, who was heating the left overs from last night for breakfast.

It wasn't more than half an hour later that the camp came slowly alive, first was their uncle, who slunk in beside them to sit somewhere warm. Kili wasn't so frozen anymore either, sitting beside Dwalin in front of the fire had reduced the effect the stone floor had on him - and damn if he wouldn't force his brother to thank him for that later!  
Fili became awake just after Thorin, Gloin and Bifur had the chance to see him curled around their resident burglar, but as he realized where he was lying - or better with whom - he jerked back as if bitten. In five seconds flat he sat beside his brother in front of the fire, talking in low tones to Thorin about the route they would take that day and completely ignoring the fact that everyone around him now grinned knowingly. Well, Bifurs gaze was still a bit vacant, but he patted the blonds shoulder while going to see if he could wake his cousin yet, so that counts and Thorin wasn't exactly grinning as he was glowering, but Kili was sure he could see his uncle's eyes twinkling a second, so it was a safe bet he was grinning in his mind. Perhaps.

Now without heatsource - and a pretty decent one at that, shielding him from every wind that dared to come near the pretty little creature, Bilbo was awake not even a minute after Fili left, which startled a new round of giggles from the dark haired prince that he tried to smother in Dwalins shoulder, who patted his head like he was a good behaved puppy - which prompted him to shove his elbow in the warriors ribs, hard, which prompted - well, let us just say the camp was awake three minutes later, Kili beaten - or rather wrestled - to submission and Bilbo didn't have the chance to ask why exactly he wasn't sleeping as alone as he probably thought he would. But he looked well rested and content as he sat at the fire and had his portion of breakfast, which made Fili look as happy as he could get away with without answering nosy questions.  
Yes, Kili thought, this mission looked really promising.


	7. Chapter 7

They broke up camp after everyone had their fill of breakfast and set to walk the way the wizard indicated. Thorin was leading their little group at a neckbreaking speed, intent on catching up on the time they lost the last day. Obviously he wasn't thinking about the fact that they would still be miles behind on that mountain if the recent events hadn't happend, cutting through the whole mountain and after that the eagles, who brought them miles after miles to safety. Kili thought it safe to say they were perfectly good on time. And alright, maybe the speed wasn't exactly neckbreaking, but he was sure that his uncle would really break something if he held that up. He was already walking so stiff and tense it was a wonder he could be so fast, so Kili did what he could best: gather attention. He started with little sighing noises here and there, stumbling a bit for good measure and then he started to whine - loud. He whined about everything that came to his mind, from the cold to the terrain - it was field and forest, he really liked the mountains better (goblins excluded) - to his pack being too heavy - they didn't have a lot anymore, just four packs got out of the disaster that was the last days, so the young ones were to told to carry them, so the elders could better defend them if something came upon them - again. 

His companions started to be annoyed just after the second comment, but the clever ones knew exactly why he did what he did - manely Balin, Dori and Ori. Fili probably knew too, because he was rolling his eyes to Dwalin, who walked beside him. Bilbo looked at him with something like pity in his eyes - he obviously wasn't one of the bright ones - before getting back to his conversation with Bofur. The burglar chatted happily with the miner, grinned and laughed and Kili could see his brother grinding his teeth even though the older walked a few paces in front of him.  
The dark haired prince just wanted to stumble again, a bit harder this time for emphasis, as his uncle turned around and glared at him.  
"What in Mahals Halls is wrong now? I thought you grew out of this for heavens sake!", he grunted as he made his way to his nephew, who faltered in his steps short of falling in his uncles arms.

And really, it just wasn't fair that everyone always thought the worst of him, he matured, promised! He grew older and responsible and normally he wouldn't be a whiny brat, but this time it was different!  
Most of the company knew him a large part of his life, including the phase where everyone told him he was the spawn of nightmares. And if he wasn't that, he was the little whiney brat no one wanted to play with, because he always had to win to stay happy - and no one wanted to be near him when he was unhappy. Now that he thought about it, it was pure luck that he had a brother who could stand him, his life would be pretty lonely without him. Even more reason to help him with his little hobbit problem. 

"It huuurts.", Kili mumbled and started to pout. Now he had a little mission on the side, namely making sure his uncle wouldn't kill himself with being too demanding and not knowing his limits. Most of the company knew what he was doing now too and they started to look less annoyed. They wouldn't think him a - alright, he was still pretty much a whiney brat, but he had reasons, okay? And now they would see that too.  
"It was probably Dwalins fault.", Fili threw in, not without recieving a glare from said warrior for getting him into this mess. "He was pretty rough and Kili is still full of bruises from the caves."  
The dwarfking let out a growl, sending his best soldier his own glare, before he took another step to his nephew.  
"Will you be alright? We still have to cover ground before we arrive at that wizards friends place.", he asks, actually concerned, because even if he didn't often showed it, he still loved his nephews and wouldn't want them hurt. Besides, he wouldn't want to encounter his sister after anything involving pain for his nephews happened. She was really thourough in making sure he knew exactly why he wouldn't want that.

And it said so much about said love for said nephews that he didn't think for a second about an evil plot going on, because his nephew is hurting and that is all there is to it. Even if it ruined their planning in getting to Gandalfs friend in two days time. And yes, he knew Kili could whine and pout and beg until he got what he wanted - or extract revenge if he didn't - because he lived with them both and his sister and he rememberd a few escapades. His favourite - not that he would tell that anyone - was somewhat twenty years ago, while Dwalin took Fili on his first trip to search for work. He wasn't a child anymore and he knew his way around a forge. There was never enough money and the boy wanted to help, so Thorin send him with his most trusted to the surface. Half a year was planned, so they would be back with the money before the winter would hit them hard in the mountains. And Kili wasn't allowed to come with them, not even after two days straight of alternately begging, pouting, sweet eyes and the biggest temper tantrums he had since his late teens, where the topics were sweets and weapontraining - the first not affordable regularly, the second he was too young for. He could still see the consequences of their decision to let Kili stay home. Six month later and the little prince had managed to somehow breed Dwalins whole wardrobe full of mushrooms. Everyone was furious at the time, grounding him for punishment, until they all came together to reverse the idea and sending Kili back to his training and lessons just to get him out of the house.

"I can walk. Just - could we maybe - walk a bit slower? I can barely keep up.", came his nephews low voice, so not to let everyone hear him, but Thorin understood just fine. He nodded once, before giving his shoulder a light squeeze and then getting back on track, walking slower than he would have liked, but he had nephews to take care of, so this would have to suffice. And to be honest, his wounds and bruises had gotten the better of him, slowly but surely. He would even be a bit grateful, but he knew his youngest didn't do it for him. A quick suspicious glance behind showed both his sister-sons together, like it always was, except for that half a year twenty years back. He remembered Fili laughing at his mentor, seeing that his brother got the better of him - even if he got in a whole lot of trouble for being able to grow greens, under a mountain no less, he wasn't an elf for Mahals sake - and he remembered hearing those laughter die the moment they both went to their room. Thorin and Dis heard their yelling and were quick to investigate. Obviously Kili, in his generous freetime and boredom, now that his brother was gone, decided to not entirely part with his brother even while he was away. So he sewed every piece of clothing Fili posessed that didn't went with him on his journey together to a giant patchwork quilt. Thorin remembered also that Kili still slept under this blanket, and still would, if not for Thorin and the quest.   
He slowed another step, now level with the burglar and started a stilted, awkward conversation with him. He almost lost his own life just to save Thorins, the dwarf could at least make an effort. And if he saw it right this morning he really should, because if he was as important to Fili as he suspected, then he would one day be kin.


	8. Chapter 8

Filis mood had taken a dive since Bilbo went back to Bofur for more laughter and friendly nudges and Kili could feel his brother practically vibrating with restraint jealousy beside him.  
"Calm down. You should just speak to him too. We should make camp soon, so you calm down and I get him to come to us, alright?", tried the dark haired to cheer him up, but he could already see that it was only somewhat a success. The trembling ebbed away, but he was still tense and his gaze still fixed on an hatted head. Kili would have to talk to Bofur. Well, that was, until Bifur saw the glare Fili was giving his cousin and then started to loudly argue in old Khuzdul, underlined with the occasional Iglishmek. The prince wasn't fluent in either of those, but he saw the sign of "Idiot" and "Princess" and he was sure his brother just got insulted. He saw Filis lips twitch and threw him a confused glance, while most of the other dwarfs started to guffaw, even stopping the walk in the process.   
"He said Bofur is an Idiot for not seeing that Bilbo is...well...", started the blonde prince, before he realized that there was no denial anymore now. No one really seemed suprised anyway and he was just whispering it to Kili, so that Bilbo wouldn't hear a word. He saw Ori doing the same for his middle brother and Gloin quickly signing everything that was happening to Oin. So he continued, more hushed now than before. "That Bilbo is my One and he should make sure to have the right intentions toward him, namely friendship, before the Princeling - that's me - is going to behead him the moment we enter Erebor for stealing his princess. I guess he means Bilbo with that." He couldn't supress another little grin at the thought of the hobbit being his princess.

Now Kili could relax too, because his brother wasn't insulted - just Bofur and Bilbo, and he could live with that - and he found it somewhat sweet too that Bifur would say something like this to make sure his brother got the 'princess'. Sure, he didn't do it to do Fili any good, but to keep Bofur out of serious trouble - the perplexed expression indicates he didn't even know anything about Fili and Bilbo, so he was somewhat excused - but it was all the same.   
The pretty little curly head next to the hatted dwarf threw a confused glance to everyone, trying to ask what just happened, but not getting anywhere other then setting some dwarfs back into laughter and drawing a deep mocking bow from Nori. Thorin regarded them all just with exasperated eyes.  
"Don't you worry, Master Baggins, it was nothing of importance. Now, let us continue, we still need to cover ground before we find a place for camp.", and with that little speech - and little white lie, because really, no one wanted to tell the hobbit what was going on - they got back in motion. Bofur looked back to Fili and signed behind Bilbos back a quick apology, to which the prince nodded. Ones were important to their race, more so than even the prettiest gems, and it was a huge blunder to stand between a dwarf and his love. Not to mention said dwarf was a prince, it could have gotten really ugly if Bifur hadn't stepped in and enlightend the oblivious miner.


	9. Chapter 9

It was after another two hours of walking that it began to grow dark and Thorin send the youngest brothers to scout the surroundings for possible dangers and a place to camp. They encountered nothing more malicious than a young deer, which Kili promptly shot for his crimes - and dinner. It was mostly for dinner - and a handful rabbits, which they let go, having more than enough to eat for the company now. Fili took the animal over his shoulder and together they tracked back the way they came, having found a place to sleep a few minutes after starting. A loud whistle from Kili told the company where to go and soon everyone had their duties assigned to them. The dark haired prince could have sworn he saw a look of pure awe on the hobbits face after he saw Fili effortlessly carrying the deer, but it was gone as soon as it was there - if it was there - so he couldn't be sure. 

He could be sure, however, of the look of pure disgust that overtook Bilbos face the moment the blonde prince started to skin the game and Kili winced over his thoughtlessness. Hobbits probably never shot anything themselves, they wouldn't have to prepare it and they certainly would never have to shed half their clothes to spare them from the blood while being elbow deep in the carcass to gut them. The spoiled little brats got there food finished for the pan, a luxury Kilis race almost never had, because they couldn't afford it and it was absurd to pay so much for meat their hunters could easily shoot themselves for a much more reasonable price. But he couldn't do anything about the shudder that took the hobbits body before he quickly looked away. The damage was done and all the prince could do was cut the losses as best as he could.   
He set up the few bedrolls they still had - mostly the younger ones got them, being less acquainted to the wilds then their elder. He lay one near the fire for Balin, being the oldest of their group and then sat down next to the dwarf, who watched him with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Fee and I don't need it, we're sleeping with Bilbo together and we have more than enough room for that.", he defended his actions, not wanting to hurt an old dwarfs pride - that's nothing you want, like, ever.   
Before Balin could answer that he heard an indignant splutter coming from his right and saw a hobbit who just sat down on the floor.  
"I never agreed to such an arrangement, if you remember. I just woke up this morning not being where I was when I fell asleep."  
"How is it my problem that you look for free cuddles when no one is looking?", the youngest dwarf asked back, looking as indignant as possible without dissolving into chuckles. Bilbos eyes grew wide and his cheeks went from rosy due to chill to somewhat like magenta due to embarassment.  
"I am definitly not!"  
"You definitly are!"  
"Not!"  
"Are!"

"Not.", came the voice of his brother from behind him, calm and collected on the outside, but Kili could see the small tremors in his hands he tried to restrain - he was definitly nervous, but too much their uncle to show it for once. "You were awfully cold, so we thought we would do you a favor in taking you in our midst. It is not uncommon for dwarfs to preserve warmth like this, but you mostly do it with your kin. As you don't have any kin with you, Bilbo, we thought we would offer you our assistance. I am deeply sorry if that was something inproper to do for hobbits, we didn't think twice of it." The little liar definitly thought way more often than twice about it, but Kili would let it slide - like him stabbing his own brother in the back while making fun of a naive little hobbit.   
But yes, the prince would let it slide for once, because even if his brothers little speech was altogether quite reassuring for Bilbo, he ruined everything with his standing there, arms still covered in blood and even a streak across his cheek. The Shireling lost all his color in three seconds flat and it was a small miracle that he didn't faint again, but Fili obviously realized what his mistake was and just took a deep breath, still maintaining the collected demeanor, before he looked to Bombur.  
"I am finished, you can prepare it now.", then he gazed at his brother, told him he would be at the little stream they saw while scouting and vanished together with his knifes to clean.


	10. Chapter 10

Bombur was busy roasting the meat, while Kili just relaxed for a change. From time to time he threw a cautious glance at his almost-brother-in-law and saw him looking healthier again by the minute. Well, that was at least something, but he still had to repair the damage done by his idiot brother - and his Uncle wanted said idiot to someday rule a kingdom, it was just laughable. He sighed deep and slid over so he was sitting right next to a now very suspicious hobbit.  
"I wanted to say sorry.", Kili said, doing his best to sound as begrudging as possible. Now the suspicion grew to double, but still he asked "For what?"  
"Fili always says I should learn to see the bounds when talking to someone. There are some things that just aren't my business and I shouldn't have asked that, so...I'm sorry." It was half true at least, Fili tried to get him to see reason on this particular topic for decades, but that didn't mean that Kili had the same opinion. If being a prince didn't give you the right to ask whatever you want, what was it good for then? And he definitly would get that answer out of Bilbo, damn the consequences - at least if those consequences where for him, he didn't want to ruin all his hard work with the hobbit, because that would mean he slept on the stone floor for nothing. And would do it again tonight, just so his brother would get his love. 

"Oh, if that is true, then of course you are forgiven. But really, you should know that it isn't proper to ask something like that.", was Bilbos answer, whose face brightened considerably after the apology - or was it the point that it was "Fili getting him said apology"?   
"Naah, it just isn't, you know. I mean, obviously it is for hobbits, but it isn't for dwarfs, so how exactly was I to know, eh?", the dark haired prince explained, because maybe like this he would get his answer. He looked around the company. "Oy, Ori, did Dori ever let you out of the house to see who you like?", he asked with a raised voice. Dori starts to splutter, but Ori just calmly looks up and answers. "Dwarrows, definitly. I just can't see any appeal in Dwarrowdams."  
"Balin?", Kili asks next.  
"Dwarrowdams, laddie."  
"Bofur?"  
"Dwarrow."

Kili looks at Bilbo again, his face clearly saying "See, there!" but the hobbit didn't look convinced yet. "The point is, Mr. Boggins, there is nothing bad in asking. I know Thorin likes Dwarrowdams, like Bombur and Gloin who are both married. Bifur has a wife and a son at home, I met them before we left the Blue Mountains. Dori is craftwed, as is Oin and no one knows what the hell Nori is, but thats different, you just don't go anywhere near him, so asking him is a bit hard." To that Nori threw a sharp grin in Bilbos direction, obviously enjoying that opinion.  
"Nori likes both, he just can't decide.", came Oris answer to that, for which he got a soft kick in his ribs from his middle brother - really, that was how they kicked each other? One time Kili lost a tuft of hair and both front teeth to his brother, and he wasn't even twenty. Another time Fili came home with an arrow stuck in his shoulder, he still had the scar to show off. But to his defence, that wasn't really on purpose. Kili just wanted to scare his brother, shooting a few centimetres shy of his head, but just as he let the arrow go his brother saw the bakers daughter and made himself bigger than he really was and thus - well, his mother yelled herself hoarse and Thorin confiscated his bow for a whole year - which really wasn't fair at all, Filis shoulder was long healed then and he was forgiven, so why should he still suffer after his brother was alright again? And yes, he felt guilty then, but it wasn't really his fault either.

"See, now we even know what Nori likes. Fili and I like Dwarrow, and Dwalin...now that I think about it, I never asked." Kili was shocked after he came to that conclusion - because, of course, normally he just knew everything about everyone and if not he would ask, but the thought that he never thought of asking Dwalin, because he was just sure - well, no, that would be too complicated now to decipher and he really didn't have the time, because he already missed the reaction of the hobbit finding out about his brother liking his own gender.  
"Dwarrow.", came the short, disbelieving reply from over the fire and no, he wouldn't think about that little fluttery thing in his tummy either, because now wasn't the time and anyway, he was probably just hungry. 

Bilbo looked contemplative now, gaze on the fire before he let it wander around the company, assessing them and seeing if he was made fun of, but everyone was deep in their own little projects - Bombur still cooking, Nori sharpening his knifes, Ori knitting his last piece of wool he still possessed. They didn't even pay him much attention, it obviously really was perfectly normal here to ask something so private, so the hobbit bit his lips and looked shyly at Kili.  
"Dwarrow.", he whispered, before he got red in the face again and started to stammer. "I mean - I didn't - Of course I would never -" He took a deep breath, trying to gather himself again while Kili tried his very best not to laugh in his face - but it was a close call, really. "I prefer my own gender. But like I said, it isn't something talked about."

"That's alright, you can talk about it however much you like, no one here is going to bat an eye. And we mean our own gender too, it doesn't really matter which race it is. For example, I kissed an elf in Rivendell.", the prince explained, not wanting Bilbo to think he would be out just because he wasn't a dwarf.  
"YOU WHAT?", came it loudly, again over the fire. Now Dwalin stood up to be able to see him and Kili could see his uncle frowning at him. Yes, that maybe wasn't all that thought through, but he managed to get his answer, right? And he just wanted to appease Bilbo with the knowledge that yes, he still can have Fili and no one will look twice at them. Now Kili stood slowly and edged a step back, then another as Dwalin followed him, looking murderous. And again his hunger reared it's head, turning his stomach like a bunch of really angry fairies - and between us, you just don't fuck with them. Kili had three dozen tiny little bite scars on his fingers. When for fucks sake would dinner be ready, anyway?   
"You know what, I could swear I can hear Fili calling me. I'm going to look for him real quick, don't wait up!", the youngster rambled like a dwarfling, before turning on his heels and vanishing in the woods.


	11. Chapter 11

He found his brother right away, the stream wasn't more than five minutes away from camp, still scrubbing at his arms. As he heard Kili he was on his feet, armed with two now clean knifes and ready for battle in under two seconds. That's how good you get when trained by Dwalin. He saw his brother and lowered his knifes again, turning back to the stream and going back to scrubbing himself with a small piece of cloth.  
"You're clean, what are you still doing here?", the dark haired one asked, sitting down on the floor and observing his brother, who just shrugged. That drew a sigh from Kili. "It's because of Bilbo, right? You don't want to still smell of blood if he decides to sleep next to us." It never really mattered that the scent clung to them sometimes days later still, because they were dwarfs, it was just normal. They smelled of blood and sweat and metal and when they didn't have to work they smelled of all those things and of ale and pipeweed too. But that was, of course, before his brother went and fell in love with a being that was even more sensible than Dori, and Kili never thought that was even possible - elves excluded. 

Getting a nod from his brother the dark haired sighed again, before he leaned over and pressed his face in the blondes neck. The furious scrubbing stopped short and a few subtle sniffs told him that it really wouldn't matter all that much how much his brother cleaned himself. That kind of smell stayed in the pores of your skin, the fabric of your clothes and in your hair. Bilbo will just have to live with it. Fili was a fighter, a warrior and a hunter. There would always be blood, it would always contradict with the hobbits delicate sensibilities.   
Heaving a sigh now too the blonde threw the rag to the ground, before he closed his arms around his little brother.  
"And what brings you here? Shouldn't you sit around the fire insulting Bilbo with your social skill?", he asked lowly, eyes now trained on their surrounding.

"Oh, I already did. And I got my answer, by the way. He likes dwarrows.", grinned Kili brightly before cuddling close to his stunned brother again. "He corrected himself the next second, saying he likes his own gender, but I think what he really meant were dwarrows." Maybe he was a bit self-satisfied, but it was definitly his right, wasn't it? His mission was basically almost over.   
He could feel Fili drawing breath a few times, before a hand came up to stroke through his hair, roughly. "I don't want you to shove him in a direction he doesn't like. Just leave it be. If it is meant to be, then it will happen." Kili sat up again.  
"What if it's meant to be with my help, because you two are so obviously idiots that you practically scream 'desperate'? I will not stop. You deserve to be happy and I will see to it that it happens!" He stood resolutely, short of stomping his feet on the floor, and his brother followed, tugging him back into his arms.  
"Thank you. But keep in mind that I don't want you to go too far. It's better if you don't do enough, before you overstep again, alright?"

Most times the best way to get him to behave was to make Fili tell him what needed to be done. If they were getting visitors from the Iron Hills, Fili would come and say that it would be him that would be embarrassed if something bad happened on the gathering, because he was the heir. So instead of smuggling living worms in his cousins soup he just sat a salamander in his goblet.   
As he shot Fili in the shoulder and Thorin took his bow it was Fili telling him that he would be disappointed in him if he kept trying to break into his uncles office and get his bow back, so he stopped doing it whenever he was home and just did it while Fili had his history lessons, because he couldn't just not do it.   
In the half year his older brother wasn't there to be his conscience and common sense he snuck into a mine at night even if it was dangerous to go in alone, especially if you didn't have a clue what you should do in a crisis. He lost his way in all that tunnels and panicked, before he cowered himself down on the floor and hoped that someone would get him out of the pitch black darkness. It was Bofur who found him, two days later and it was a miracle nothing worse happened, because the tunnel he went in was unsafe. He had never felt so miserable in all his life before, because those two days felt like an eternity and he could always hear the rock groaning around him. He never told anyone, not even Fili, but he was sure he would never see his family again.

So he always at least tried to do as his brother said, even if he didn't always succeeded. But he would at least try to keep in mind not to exaggerate too much and thus drive the hobbit just further away. So he nodded and his brother was content with that, knowing that the younger would still do as he pleases, but keep his wishes at heart.  
"So, I noticed you didn't answer my question. Why did you come here?", Fili asked as they broke their hug and slowly went back to the camp. They both weren't in a hurry.  
"Oh, you know, just the usual. I wanted to make Bilbo see that we don't just mean Dwarrow when we say we like them and so I kind of told him about that elf-boy in Rivendell.", came the mumbled reply. The blonde raised an eyebrow, not really seeing a problem with it, so Kili continued. "I kind of didn't just told him. Dwalin was pretty mad after that and uncle was his usual frowning self. I guess they really don't like elves, huh?"

That got him a stunned look, before Fili broke into a fit of laughter, having to hold himself up on a nearby tree.   
"What's that for, huh?", Kili asked, now thoroughly confused, but his brother just hold up a hand and shook his head. After almost two minutes Fili calmed down again, while the dark haired stood next to him, arms crossed in front of him and a giant pout on his lips. The blonde regarded him, before chuckling again.  
"You really don't know? Huh. I never thought of that, to be honest. But thanks, brother, I definitly needed that." With that he continued to the camp, eyes bright and a big smile on his face and even though Kili swore that he would get answers to that one he followed in silence, because he had to see Bilbos face after looking at Fili now. No one in their right mind could deny now how handsome the blonde was - it runs in the family, he thought to himself - and if the hobbit wasn't in love with him already, he should be it in the next minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really mean to make another pairing, they just kind of happened. You try saying no to Dwalin when he wants his little prince!


	12. Chapter 12

Dinner was a pretty unspectacular affaire, if you didn't count Dwalins glower, Thorins disappointed stare and Filis occiasional chuckle. The moment the blonde had finished his dinner - with so few supplies they wouldn't waste good food - Kili hit him on the shoulder, so hard he skidded half a metre and landed half in Bilbos lap, who sat next to him. Satisfied with his little revenge that wouldn't hurt anyone - a bruise more or less wasn't that bad, and Fili hadn't squealed like a girl or anything embarassing, instead he just grunted in manly pain and that should really impress the halfling, because Kili had pretty decent strenght in his upper arms from his bow - he got back to his own dinner, that didn't go down as good as he thought it should. He was hungry all the time, his stomach told him that with this odd little flutter thing it did everytime he looked near the fire - or Dwa - No, he wouldn't think of something so - No, he just wouldn't - and Fili could laugh all he wanted, it wasn't as if he was curious about it. And those two halfwitted - was that where the term halfling came from? - idiots were now stammering about only Mahal knew what and really did he have to do everything himself here?  
So he asked Fili to tell them from the time he tricked a whole pack of wolfs around their village so no one was hurt, because even a hobbit should be impressed with his strategic prowess - and if not that then maybe the saving of the innocents. Every dwarf knew the story already, but that didn't matter when it was a good story. Even if his brother was shy and stammered here and there, it was clear to everyone that yes, even Bilbo liked the story. Even if Fili could have told the story so much better - and had already - and more exciting, the look on the halflings face now was definitly awed and that was a win if Kili ever saw one and yes, his mission was almost complete, he was sure of it.

Halfway through the next adventure - it was Fili against the mountain lion now, and even if it wasn't as flattering as the last tale -- almost dying and getting eaten, until Thorin and Dwalin saved his skinny ass -- it was still a pretty good story - Dwalin sat down next to him, making Kili choke on the meat he still nibbled on, determined not to be bested by dead game. It was a few minutes of sitting as still as he could so not to draw more attention to himself, until Dwalin even deemed to look at him.  
"Ye did good, laddie. Yer brother looks pretty cozy.", he rumbled deep in his chest, low enough so only Kili could feel - hear it! He didn't feel anything, thank you very much, other than maybe fierce pride in getting praised by his mentor and most trusted person outside of his immediate family. He was definitly not glowing under the attention bestowed upon him, or leaning into the hand on his shoulder, or thinking about how that hand would feel with a lot less clothes and - what the actual fuck was going on all of a sudden? 

He had those thoughts now, out of the blue, it wasn't as if he ever felt anything for Dwalin other than - well, awe probably, because he was the best dwarven warrior in the whole Blue Mountains, not just in their settlement. And he loved to hear him tell stories of Erebor and Azanulbizar and all those other smaller battles he fought, could listen to him the whole evening without getting tired of it. But that was just because he was a good storyteller, nothing more. It sure enough wasn't because his voice was always a little growling, or because his eyes were as intense as if he would still be fighting.   
After training he always felt good, he was exhausted but he loved to train, even if he didn't like his sword too much, Dwalin made it bearable enough. He even had a nice word or two here and there for his archery, something he never could get enough of. And the older warrior could be counted on to get him out of trouble, now on this quest the first time out of life threatening situations too. He even slept just a few paces beside the princes to keep them safe if something should happen. 

But all those feelings he had, that he never thought about any further because they were just always there, as long as he could remember, that was just - something like hero worship, right?   
Maybe it wasn't exactly heroic to see to it that they ate something if their mother and uncle weren't at home the night, or that he always brought them something back from his journeys - mostly weapons and armor or this one time just five years ago, where Fili got a nice dagger and Kili got this beautiful cloak that he cared for enough that he didn't want to wear it on this quest - and that he made sure they kept up with everything that happened in other parts of middle earth. He was just taking care of them, right? And yes, maybe he still took care of them as they got older and could make their own dinner, but no one said anything about it because they all liked to sit together. And maybe, just a teeny tiny maybe, in the last years he would stay awake long after Fili went to bed and Dwalin would stay and they would drink and talk and laugh, until the prince fell asleep on the warriors shoulder. 

Oh.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or go drown himself, but the chances of him drowning in that little stream were minimal at best and the effort just didn't seem worth it. The good side was that he now knew what his brother was laughing about earlier.   
He, Kili, son of Vili, was in love with Dwalin, son of Fundin without even realizing it.   
He was so utterly fucked he couldn't even answer his One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then I slipped and accidentally angsted a little.


	13. Chapter 13

After everyone had finished eating Kili got up and took the dishes out of Bilbos hands, telling him he should stay to listen to Balin, who recited the tale of Fili's coming of age, where the blonde drunkenly challenged a Man almost two times his size and got his ass handed back to him on a silver platter, until the giant made the mistake of saying that as winnings he would collect a night with his 'pretty little sister who will scream for entirely different reasons when I'm finished with her' while pointing at Kili.   
The younger prince knew how the story ended, so he took the dishes to the stream to clean them. He remembered it a bit fuzzy, being decently drunk himself, but he could still see the disbelieving look of his brother, before a really ugly snarl took over his features. The end of it all was Gloin and Balin stepping behind Fili and, after disarming him, taking him by the arms to take him away before he could kill the Man, like he obviously intended. Dwalin and Thorin were standing calmly at the sides, not lifting a finger to help after the slight against the prince.

It was, to say the least, a memorable coming of age party and an often retold tale, even if Kili wasn't so sure that Bilbo would like this side of his brother, but he should know it before something between them happened and then it took him by surprise. Not that he should be surprised after their quest, but you never knew with hobbits.  
He took his time to clean the dishes - not his favorite job in the wild, but it was better than sitting next to Dwalin, because really, how could he have been so dense? Everyone thought him the stupid one, but until now he always prided himself in being brighter than anyone estimated.   
And Dwalin? The bastard probably just enjoyed a starry-eyed young princeling looking at him as if he build the mountains himself. How was it possible that he made an idiot of himself for years without even realizing it? His brother, the little traitor, never said anything either, just laughed him in the face like it was funny. Funny his ass. And now that he thought about it he couldn't just un-think it, which was the worst thing of the whole situation. How should he behave now, that he wasn't ignorant anymore? He should stop all that embarassing starry-eye-dness, that was for sure, because his pride couldn't live with being a fool for the rest of his life.

The rest of his life. The thought came like a warg rider, out of the blue crashing into him and leaving him breathless. He sagged a bit and stared at the bowl he was just scrubbing. The rest of his life.  
Dwalin was his One, the one chance to make it right or live without romantic love until his death. He would have the choice to become craftwed, but that never really was an option for him. On the other side, he didn't want to be lonely and unhappy his whole life, with just his family and a hobbit and Dwalin who stood there being all glorious and never seeing anything other than a child in him.

Heaving a great sigh Kili considered wallowing in self pity a bit more, before getting to the conclusion that if he was absent any longer Dwalin would come storming on ready to defend him from the danger he undoubtetly always found even on an empty field. He would stand before him and fight for him like he was a little child who needed a protector. He never was that overbearing with Fili, now that he thought about it and that stung. It wasn't a secret that his brother was the better fighter, but knowing that Dwalin wasn't even trying to be subtle about it hurt - just a little bit, he told himself, because it wouldn't do to burst into childish tears and throw a temper tantrum, not when he wanted to prove to the world - alright, it was mostly Dwalin he wanted to prove himself to - that he wasn't a child anymore. He came of age seven years ago, and while not being the best of them, he was a fighter, fuck you very much, he could fight his own battles and protect himself and he was a full-fledged dwarf, despite his barely-there beard. He was no child anymore, not even a virgin, so he was fully prepared to prove to his One that he was -

Halfway to the camp he walked into something hard, so deep in thought and silently fuming as he was and for a second he thought he walked against a tree - and swore himself to never ever tell anyone about it, not even his brother, especially not his brother, because he would be embarassed his whole life - but after getting steadied by the impressivley burly tree he just had to tilt his head back to look into the face of his mentor, who regarded him intently. Probably looking if he injured himself in the short half hour he was entirely unsupervised, like a little dwarfling just starting to work in a forge, where you weren't allowed to look somewhere else, because they always burnt themselves the moment you did. Or was that just him? Whatever it was, it soured his mood even more, so he took a step back, hardened his face - he probably just looked mulish, but he couldn't change that now, could he? - and righted the dishes he carried in his arms.

"What the fuck do you want?", he snarled - well, intented, but he just wasn't made for such evilness on his handsome face, so he was just a giant pout again - and stepped around the warrior, continuing on his way and thus not seeing the stunned look on the others face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then I went and angsted a little more


	14. Chapter 14

The evening soon came to an end and they slowly trickled to their bedrolls, without Kili having to talk to Dwalin again. He thought he made a pretty good job in avoiding the warrior, lest he started being the awed little boy again - better safe then sorry - even if it was boring with Fili awkwardly stammering to the hobbit and him not being able to talk to Dwalin.  
He could always talk to his uncle, bis his mood was sour enough, he didn't need to make it worse.  
There was Ori too, but he was engrossed in whatever he was knitting, so the prince left him to it. 

He wanted to go and sleep, but he couldn't leave his two favorite idiots to themselves, they would just ruin it all, so he had to pull through, now even without Dwalins shoulder to sleep on. It never was as clear as now how fucking dependent he was on his mentor, and that thought shamed him to his bones, because it was no wonder the dwarf didn't find him anywhere near appealing.  
After ten long minutes of him broodily staring into the flames he felt a presence next to him. He stiffened automatically, anticipating Dwalin, but he found his concerned uncle instead. He didn't dare to relax again.

"Are you alright? What of your wounds?", he asked lowly, not wanting anyone to hear him, because he knew that every dwarf had his pride, especially his youngest nephew. Said nephew stared at him two seconds, before remembering that he was 'in pain' and had to 'walk slowly'. He stared back into the flames.  
"Everything's fine.", he answered, because what else should he say? No adult dwarf would whine to his uncle about his pains - bodily or emotianally - and would suffer silently, but obviously it was still the right thing to say.  
"We will walk as fast as you are able to tomorrow, Kili. Don't hasten your recovery, it will do you no good." The prince couldn't supress the little snort, hearing his uncle saying that right after being a wargs chewtoy was just hilarious. Or maybe he was just a little in hysterics, because what else should he be, he found his One and would still be lonely the rest of his life and he really had to repress that laughter that was bubbling up in his chest and where those really tears in his eyes and -

There was a hand on his shoulder, Filis hand, and he sagged a little. He gave his uncle a little nod, a shaky smile and then stood up.  
"Let's go to bed. Bilbo stays with us, because you gave his bedroll to Balin and he doesn't want to ask to have it back.", his brother told him in hushed tones and he saw what he couldn't supress of his grin on his lips. That was the spirit, at least one of them was happy. That was the mission, wasn't it? Making sure Fili got his One and lived happily ever after and - he sat at the edge of the bedroll and waited for the other two to lay down before he took the outer edge and curled in on himself, pressing his eyes shut as they bid each other a good night.

This time it was a few minutes until he heard the breath of his brother evening out, but he knew it was on purpose, to enjoy having his One this close. How Kili wished - but no, there was no wishing, he would make sure his brother was happy and then be done with Ones and never again think about them, because everytime he thought about that - he caught whatever was stuck in his throat before it could escape as he heard Dwalin bedding down not far from them, as he always did, taking care of them because even now Kili obviously couldn't be unsupervised, and he needed taking care of, wanted it, but not like that and - he bit his lip hard and concentrated on the hobbits breathing, making sure it was as even as it was the last night, before kicking him in his side, a bit harder than he probably ought to, but it served his purpose just great. There was a little sleepy yelp, a suddenly very much awake Fili and a hobbit who curled himself in on the safe heatsource away from evil kicking brothers, burying his face in a hard chest, letting out a little snort and then there was nothing more than even breathing. He caught Filis wide eyed look and shot him a self satisfied smirk, clearly everything went great at this front. And now to sleep, because he wouldn't think about his own One, not now, not ever again and the more he thought about it the more he just wanted to turn around and crawl into Dwalins arms. The sad part was the warrior would probably let him, because every child had nightmares sometimes or was homesick, right?

He could stop the sob, but not the tremble that got his whole body, before he blissfully fell asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

The next day went exactly as the day before, with the minor difference of Kilis mood, but everyone just gave him a wide berth and marched on. Fili threw him a few questioning glances, but the dark haired one always waved him off, so the blonde spoke a few times with Bilbo and otherwise stayed with their uncle.  
The pace was alright, slow enough that the prince wouldn't need another tantrum to get through to Thorin - not that he was in the mood - but it meant the march would still take them at least another day to even reach the border of the wizards friend, not to mention how much longer they would need to reach the house - and no one knew how they would be recieved there. Not that Kili had anything against the march, normally he liked the activity, even if it was a bit dreary, but it was absolutely impossible to avoid Dwalin the whole day, because whereever he looked, he was already there. Shooting him glances, no less, concerned and confused ones, like the prince was being unreasonable again and no one understood why. Well, that was the case, but he wouldn't be considered unreasonable if they actually knew why. Not that he would tell them - never, because his pride couldn't take the pity he was sure to recieve and -

He stumbled over a root, but got caught before he landed on the floor and got pulled against a hard chest. He didn't even need to look who it was before he freed himself hastily, mumbling a 'thank you' and hastened his steps. He ignored the "Laddie?" that came from behind him and hurried to close the gap to his brother, who once again was talking to his little hobbit. Jealousy threatened to bubble up, but he bit it back viciously. This was exactly what he wanted his brother to have and he wouldn't ruin it by being a brat now that he was so close to actually telling Bilbo what he felt.   
Fili looked at him again, concerned as only a big brother could be, but again he just waved him off. It was going to be a long day, he already knew.

 

He was exhausted beyond belief as they settled in their camp at last, sun long gone down, but the princes needed a lot of time to hunt for their dinner. Kili couldn't concentrate enough for the deer, but he shot a few pheasant after Fili sat him down and told him in no uncertain terms that he was hungry and wanted to eat today, thank you very much. The dark haired one thought he just wanted back to his burglar, but he wasn't in the mood to tease him, so he just took a few breaths, let Fili throw a stone in the bushes and shot three birds. It wasn't much, not for thirteen dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit, but Kili couldn't be arsed to get more as he sat down by the already raging fire and tried to relax for the first time that day.  
Dwalin didn't come near him again, even though he still observed him like a hawk. The prince felt incredibly self-conscious under his gaze and made himself a little smaller. 

But on the up side was definitly that Fili at last managed to keep up a conversation with Bilbo. He still stammered and stuttered a bit if he was uncertain how his response would be recieved, but otherwise he did really good, so Kili was a little proud of himself. He send them a small, sad smile before he gazed back into the flames. 

He didn't like his current mood, not in the least. He wanted to laugh and tease and make fun of the company again, like he and Fili always did. He wanted to jump over to Dwalin and steal his knuckledusters, just so the warrior would try to catch him. He wanted to trade filthy jokes with Bofur and hear Dwalin talk about his battles. He wanted to be proud and confident and assured of what he was - he was a throneless prince, an archer, a passable swordsman. He was the son of a sad mother and a dead father and the brother of his best friend. He was the nephew of Thorin Oakenshield, the friend of half of their settlement and the spawn of nightmares. He could shoot his bow like lightning and he could make the best apple pie in all the Blue Mountains, even Thorin said so. And Dwalin always loved it when he baked.   
It always came back to the warrior, whatever he thought about. He didn't do it on purpose, but he was just always there. He went away to work, or to fight, but he always came back, dirty and full of sweat, but with a big smile because after so many month on the surface, he was at home at last. He came to them first, because most of the time Balin was working in the library anyway and Kili would be the first to jump in his arms, no matter how old he got. He would wound arms and legs around the burly body and hold on, because he never knew when Dwalin would go again, and the warrior would laugh, pat him on the back and go about greeting the others with him still in his arms. 

He should have known that his behaviour wasn't normal for a grown dwarf, should have known he was on his way to fall in love, should have prevented it. But he didn't and now here he was.  
Kili looked up, directly into Dwalins dark eyes that stared intently at him and he quickly lowered his gaze. 

Dinner wasn't a big thing like the last night, but at least they had something to eat and after that they all went to bed, hoping to get a headstart tomorrow.   
It wasn't even necessary to trick Bilbo into Filis arms again, the hobbit just looked shyly up and asked if it was a problem that he would sleep with him, because Kili was awful to sleep next to and he even had a bruise to prove it. The blonde floundered a little, before he just gave an equally shy nod in return and Kili had to turn away so they wouldn't see his eyeroll. He bid them goodnight and bedded down, this time being the first one to fall asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

It was a few hours later that he woke up - he was already cold again, he must have lain there on the floor for a bit - to breathless gasps and little murmurs. From right beside him.   
He froze, totally unsure what he should do as his brother moaned low in his throat and then there was the sound of a kiss and - ugh, he could practically hear their tongues.   
Dwarfs had good sight in the dark, being mountainfolk, so it didn't take more than half a second of open eyes for Kili to see what exactly his brother and his hobbit were doing there - again: right beside him! Horror flooded his body as he pressed his eyes shut again, because even if they had a light blanket, those movements weren't that easily mistaken. There was just one possible explanation.

His brother was having sex. Right next to him. With a little gasping and mewling halfling and oh by Mahal, how was it possible for a male to get their voice that high? Kili wanted nothing more than to cover his ears, but he was sure he didn't want the others to know that he was awake. What he wouldn't do right now to be as deaf as Oin, or sleep as deep as Bombur.  
There was a bit of rustling from the blankets and the next moment Bilbo mewled so loud Fili had to stifle his voice - probably with his mouth, but Kili just didn't want to think about it, thank you very much - and now there really wasn't anything holding the younger prince anymore, because he just couldn't - it wasn't fair - how the actual fuck could his brother do this to him?

Out of instinct he just rolled over to the other side, away from them, and landed not even two seconds later in anothers arms. Dwalin, he remembered, always slept next to them. He was lying in the arms of his One, which closed around him immediatly like a vice, making it hard to even breath. Not that breathing was really an option, because, and he obviously had to say it again for emphasis, he was lying in the arms of his One.   
The gasps and moans were still audible, so he couldn't have drawn attention to himself and in another situation he would be fiercly proud of his stealth, but now, with Dwalins breath in his hair and his heartbeat right under his ear - under all that armor, ok, but Kili could still hear it faintly and he couldn't do anything against the sudden urge to crawl as near to Dwalin as he possibly could, so he started to squirm a little, for which the warrior sent him a displeased grunt - a clearly awake grunt - but two minutes later - and he would have been far quicker if Dwalin hadn't worked against him! - he had his head tucked under the others beard, one hand in his hair, the other buried in his armor and a leg thrown over the big body. He took deep breathes, because no matter if Dwalin just thought him needing comfort from whatever his brother was doing three paces away, he realized this was a thousand times better than trying to avoid his love.

Alright, then maybe he would always just be the nephew of his best friend for Dwalin, always just the little brat that braided flowers in his beard if he fell asleep on their playdate on the surface, that stole his ale mugs while he wasn't looking, that set fire to their forge because he didn't pay attention, that you had to regularly bribe to get him to his lessons with Balin, that needed double the time to learn how to read than Fili did, that never really liked swords as much as was proper for a dwarf and that still couldn't grow a beard - it was better, so much better than not being able to be near him at all. The exhaustion left his body, his tense muscles relaxed and he burrowed himself a bit deeper in scratchy, fantastic beard, clung a bit harder to the hair and pressed his chest a little nearer. He would be content with this, he told himself, if he never got anything more then he would just be content with this.  
"Laddie?", came a low rumble from above him, more uncertain than he ever heard him before, but he just shook his head a fraction. He didn't want to talk about it, not now, so he just breathed in the scent that was always just Dwalin, that he knew his whole life and that emanated a safety not even his uncle could provide. 

A hand came to his head and stroked through his hair, down to his neck and up again. Another hand lay on his back, caressing little circles and it was to that, to being surrounded by Dwalin, that he fell asleep again, his brother forgotten, his sadness nowhere to be found and him just being content and safe.


	17. Chapter 17

When Kili woke up, it was to the same things he fell asleep with. He lay on Dwalins chest, being as near as dwarvish possible with their clothes still on and - by Mahals beard, did his brother really had sex right next to him the last night? He tried to lift his head to look at them, but couldn't turn enough around with Dwalin still holding him tight, so he just lay back down and closed his eyes again, soaking in this moment so he could remember it. There was a low rumbling in the older ones chest that vibrated constantly against Kilis cheek, that reminded him of the cat he found in his thirties behind a tavern - what he did there to begin with wasn't important, really, it didn't work anyway - that he wasn't allowed to keep because it would have been an extra mouth to feed. It kept purring whenever he stroked behind his ears - after the fight to get to touch him, which resulted in bloody arms and a shredded dignity. That thought brought a bright grin on the princes lips, because he could tease the warrior endlessly about it.  
Not that it meant he wasn't enjoying it, because he was, it was calming and gave him the illusion that Dwalin liked having him here as much as he liked to be in his arms - and that they liked it in the same manner. 

The camp came to life around him - and he was awfully early to rise the last few days, wasn't he? - and soon Dwalin began to stir too, awakened from the noises around them. He stopped short when he found a wheight upon him and Kili steeled himself to be patted on the head and send away, but instead he just got squeezed tight enough he could hear his ribs squeak and then the grip loosened only minimally - he still wasn't free to go, that was for certain, but at least he could breathe again. Then there was a hand in his hair, slowly stroking through the unruly tresses and the rumbling under his cheek increased.  
"You're purring.", whispered the prince lowly, a teasing edge under his words.  
"Ye'r here.", came the reply that wasn't even near the answer Kili expected to hear and he grew a bit confused. What did he mean? He was just moody for one day, nothing more than a minor temper tantrum.

His hand on Dwalins upper arm stilled, unconsciously he had begun to rub little circles with his fingertips on the tunic under the fur he wore and he tried again to sit up, but there wasn't any more room to move than before.  
"And ye'r stayin', laddie. Not gonna let ye go again, that much's certain.", the warrior growled, still low enough so no one other could hear him. Kili couldn't see his face, but he imagined it almost snarling, like it always was when he didn't like something. He still didn't really understood, though, because that reaction wasn't justified with anything the prince could come up with. Well, that wasn't really true, because he could think of a scenario where everything was perfect and just peachy and Dwalin loved him back and would never let him go again, but that was just wishful thinking, right? By Mahal, he hoped not, but on the other side, what could Dwalin possibly see in him? It just wasn't -  
"Stop that now, lad, I can see ye thinkin' and it looks pretty painful. Just spit out whatever yer idiot head came up with now.", came a clear command, and he always did his best to do what Dwalin told him. That didn't mean he liked to be called an idiot, but he would let it slide. For now. 

The vice grip loosened enough that he could lean on his elbows and look in the olders face, but not enough for him to get anywhere else - and he probably wouldn't tell that anyone, like, ever, but he liked that quite fine, being manhandled like this. He looked into the others eyes but just couldn't find his words, nothing came to him that wouldn't make him sound like a giant fool, so he just lay there and looked and was confused and content and felt safe until Dwalin grunted somewhat amused, gripped him around his waist and pulled him up until their lips met. 

Their lips met.  
Like - in a kiss.  
They were kissing.  
Dwalin had kissed him, had iniciated it, wanted it, maybe even loved him back and -  
The kiss broke and he could only look confused again, his default setting nowadays it seemed and Dwalin was frowning now, concern and uncertainty in his eyes and didn't he like it? Was he just trying it out to see if it was good? Kili could do better probably, he would do his best, he hadn't had that much experience but he would learn if he could just feel those lips on his again and -  
"Would feel better if ye would respond to that, ye know?", he rumbled and - did he really not return the kiss? He didn't know, his brain kind of short-circuited and he just knew that there were lips and scratchy beard and breath mingled with his and -

He didn't wait any longer before he dipped down and pressed their mouthes together. It was warm and rough and there was this fluttery thing again, but this time all the way to his toes and something wasn't right, because he felt kind of light-headed, but he didn't even think of breaking the kiss, because he had his One and Dwalin wanted to be with him and the light feeling in his head got worse until they broke apart and he loudly gasped for breath.   
"That", he heard his uncles voice, somewhere between amused and disgusted, as they just stared in wonder into each others eyes, "I didn't need to see."

With a sigh Dwalin sat up, but kept him near still with an arm slung around his waist and Kili didn't even hesitate before he smooched him onto his cheek again.   
"And I didn't need to see Fili and Mr. Boggins, uncle, but we all have our cross to bear. At least Dwalin and I didn't lay right next to you while getting started. And finished probably too, if I hadn't woken.", the prince said with a big bright smile on his face, enjoying the way the hobbits face almost exploded because of all the blood now rushing to his cheeks and Fili getting all shy and awkward again from where he sat braiding short honeycolored locks. They didn't even try to defend their actions, because there wasn't much they could say to begin with, but Kili still had to laugh at the pure disgust on his uncles face, feeling Dwalins chest rumble in chuckles too.

He got a little kiss on his neck, before he felt a comb going through his hair in preperation to the braiding and he leant against a strong chest and closed his eyes again. They didn't really need to talk about this between them, because Kili trusted Dwalin with his life - and his heart - but they probably still would, because the prince could talk you to Erebor and back in a day, but for now he would just sit here and be happy and enjoy the safety he felt whenever Dwalin was around. There would still be trials ahead, the biggest of all a dragon, but even if they would all die there he still had the last weeks of his life with his One, exactly like Fili would and he couldn't imagine a better way to leave this world than beside his warrior. He leant back, forcing Dwalin to keep hold of his unruly locks and kissed him right under his chin. He was happy. And the best thing was, he wasn't alone with it.

He accomplished his mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all that stayed with me until the end! It was so much fun to write and I probably write something new soon!


End file.
